The Arizonian congressman presented the bill, which could ban all discriminatory abortions.

Under the bill, it would be illegal for pregnant mothers to have elective abortions based on preferred sex or race.

However, a mother would not be held accountable in the event that the procedure was performed – instead under the new law abortion providers would be prosecuted.

Sex-selective abortion procedures are increasingly popular in parts of Asia, including India, Korea, Taiwan and China.

Culture is said to play a significant role, with many viewing males as a preferred sex.

Reports suggested that in such cultures, a male is viewed as an asset to the family whereas a female is considered a liability.

China's 1978 implementation of the Family Planning Policy, which critics call the “One Child Policy,” is a prime example of potential reasons behind sex-selective abortions.

While in western culture the mother is generally on a quest for her ideal baby, China's governmental method for population control means it is actually illegal for many of its residents to have more than one child. As a result, parents become selective about the sex of their child with many resorting to selective abortions often until they conceive what they deem the appropriate sex.

According to lifesitenews.com, in 2008 the Journal of the National Academy of Sciences revealed that sex-selective abortion surgeries were prevalent in the US particularly amongst foreigners from countries where such procedures are common.

Race selective abortions are performed when a mother is unhappy with the race of her unborn, which is likely the result of having a racial preference for the child.